John Gill's Bible Commentary Ver. 6. And all the men of Shechem gathered together , etc.] Upon the return of Abimelech, after he with his banditti had committed the execrable murder of his brethren: and all the house of Millo ; which was either the men of a place near to Shechem, or of his brother’s family, or of some grand leading family in Shechem; or it may mean the town hall, where the principal inhabitants met in full house, as Millo signifies, on this occasion: and went and made Abimelech king ; which was a most bold and daring action; being done without asking counsel of God, without which no king was to be set over Israel, and by a single city, without the knowledge, advice, and consent of the body of the people of Israel: by the plain of the pillar that was in Shechem; the place where they met together, and did this business in voting Abimelech to be king, was near a place where a pillar was set in Shechem; or by the oak of the pillar in Shechem, and so may mean the stone under an oak, which Joshua placed there as a testimony between God and the people, ( Joshua 24:25-27) and here, in the same place where Joshua convened the people of Israel, and made his last speech to them, was this business done.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 1-6 - The men of Shechem chose Abimelech king. God was not consulted whethe they should have any king, much less who it should be. If parents coul see what their children would do, and what they are to suffer, their joy in them often would be turned into sorrow: we may be thankful tha we cannot know what shall happen. Above all, we should fear and watc against sin; for our evil conduct may produce fatal effects upon ou families, after we are in our graves.
Original Hebrew ויאספו622 כל3605 בעלי1167 שׁכם7927 וכל3605 בית1004 מלוא4407 וילכו1980 וימליכו4427 את853 אבימלך40 למלך4428 עם5973 אלון436 מצב5324 אשׁר834 בשׁכם׃7927
